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MAUD M U L L E R 



JOHN G. WHITTIER. 



WITH ILLUSTRATIONS BY W. J. HENNESSY. 




BOSTON 
TTCKNOR AND FIELDS 

1869 




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32^ 



Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1866, by 

TICKNOR AND FIELDS, 

in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the District of Massachusetts. 



Qeologloal survey 



DEC «0 



A9351 





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ILLUSTRATIONS 



I. Raking the Hay 

" Maud Muller, on a summer's day, 
Raked the meadow sweet with hay. 

Engraver, A. F. S. Antkoiiy. 



II. Nameless Longings . . 

" A nameless longing filled her breast, — 
A wish, that she hardly dared to own. 
For something better than she had known." 

Engraver, A. V. S. Anthony. 



III. At the Spring 

" She stooped where the cool spring bubbled up, 
And filled for him her small tin cup." 

Engraver, Henry Marsh. 



Illustrations. 



IV. The Listener 



" And listened, while a pleased surprise 
Looked from her long-lashed hazel eyes. 

Engraver, A. V. S. Anthony. 



V. Wish INC. 



" Maud Muller looked and sighed .- ' Ah, me 
That I the Judge's bride might be!'" 

Engraver, J. P. Davis. 



VI. Looking Back 



"The Judge looked back as he climbed the hil 
And saw Maud Muller standing still." 
Engraver, A. F. S. Ant/tony. 



VII. Musin(^, 



" And the young girl mused beside the wel 
Till the rain on the unraked clover tell." 

Engraver, i^v/ry MarsJi. 



VIII. Pictures in the Fire 

" Yet oft, in his marble hearth's bright glow. 
He watched a picture come and go." 
Engraver, A. V. S. Anthonv. 



IX. Children at Play .... 

" Many children played round her door. 
Engraver, A. V. .V. Anthony. 



Illustrations. 
X., XI. Thk Contrast ....... 

" Sometimes her narrow kitchen walls 
Stretched away into stately halls ; 

And for him who sat by the chimney lug, 
Dozing and grumbling o'er pipe and mug, 
A manly form at her side she saw, 
And joy was duty, and love was law." 
Engravers, — X. A. V. S. Antkotiy ; — XI. Henry Marsh. 



XII. De Profundis ..... 

" And, in the hereafter, angels may 
Roll the stone from its grave away ! 
Engraver, A. V. S. Antlwny. 




MAUD MULLER. 



M 



AUD MULLER, on a summer's day, 
Raked the meadow sweet with hay. 



Beneath her torn hat glowed the wealth 
Of simple beauty and rustic health. 



Singing, she wrought, and her merry glee 
The mock-bird echoed from his tree. 



Maud MuUcr. 

But when she glanced to the far-off town, 
White from its hill-slope looking down, 

The sweet song died, and a vague unrest 
And a nameless longing filled her breast, - 




A wish, that she hardly dared to own, 
For something better than she had known. 

The Judge rode slowly down the lane. 
Smoothing his horse's chestnut mane. 



Maud Midler. 

He drew his bridle in the shade 

Of the apple-trees, to greet the maid, 

And ask a draught from the spring that flowed 
Through the meadow across the road. 




She stooped where the cool spring bubbled up, 
And filled for him her small tin cup, 

And Ijlushed as she gave it, loc^king down 
On her feet so bare, and her tattered gown. 

"Thanks!" said the Judge; "a sweeter draught 
h^rom a fairer hand was never quafted." 



]\[aHd Miillcr. 



He spoke of the grass and flowers and trees, 
Of the singing birds and the humming bees ; 

Then talked of the haying, and wondered whether 
The cloud in the west would bring foul weather. 




And Maud forgot her brier-torn gown. 
And her uraceful ankles bare and brown 



And listened, while a pleased surprise 
Looked from her long-lashed hazel eyes 

4 



Maud Mulhr. 



A I Uist, like one who for delay 
Seeks a vain excuse, he rode awa)-. 

Maud Muller looked and sii^hed : "Ah, me 
That I the Judge's bride might be ! 




^L^ 



" He would dress nic up in silks so tine, 
And praise and toast me at his wine. 

"My father should wear a broadcloth coat; 
My brother should sail a painted boat. 



Maud Mullcr. 

" I 'd dress ni}- mother so grand and gay, 

And the bab>' should have a new toy each day. 

" And I 'd feed the hungry and clothe the poor, 
And all should bless me who left our door." 




The Judge looked back as he climbed the hill, 
And saw Maud Muller standing still. 

"A form more fair, a face more sweet. 
Ne'er hath it been my lot to meet. 

"And her modest answer and graceful air 
Show her wise and good as she is fair. 

6 



Maud Mullcr. 

" Would slic were mine, and I to-day, 
Like her, a harvester of hay ! 

" No doubtful balance of rights and wrongs, 
Nor weary lawyers with endless tongues, 

" But low of cattle and song of birds, ( 
And health and quiet and loving words." 




But he thought of his sisters proud and cold, 
And his mother vain of her rank and gold. 

So, closing his heart, the Judge rode on. 
And Maud was left in the field alone. 

But the law\'crs smiled that afternoon, 
When he hummed in court an old lo\'e-tunc ; 



iMaiid Mulltr. 

And the young girl mused beside the well, 
Till the rain on the unraked clover fell. 

He wedded a wife of richest dower, 
Who lived for fashion, as he for power. 

Yet oft, in his marble hearth's bright glow, 
He watched a picture come and go, — 




And sweet Maud Muller's hazel e)-es 
Looked out in their innocent surprise. 

Oft, when the wine in his glass was red, 
He longed for the wa)-side well instead ; 

And closed his eyes on his garnished rooms. 
To dream of meadows and clover-blooms. 

And the proud man sighed, with a secret pain, 
" Ah, that I were free again ! 

8 



Maud Mulla: 

" Free as when I rode that day, 

Where the barefoot maiden raked her hay." 

She wedded a man unlearned and poor, 
And many children played round her door. 

But care and .sorrow, and childbirth pain, 
Left their traces on heart and brain. 




And oft, when the summer sun shone hot 
On the new-mown hay in the meadow lot. 

And she heard the little spring brook fall 
Over the roadside, through the wall, 

In the shade of the apple-tree again 
She saw a rider draw his rein. 

9 



Maud Mulln: 

And, gazing down with timid grace, 
She felt his pleased eyes read her face. 

Sometimes her narrow kitchen walls 
Stretched away into stately halls ; 




The weary wheel to a spinnet turned, 
The tallow candle an astral burned. 



And for him who sat by the chimney lug, 
Dozing and grumbling o'er pipe and mug, 



Maud Miiller. 

A manly form at her side she saw, 
And joy was duty and love was law. 

Then she took up her burden of life again, 
Saying only, "It might have been." 




Alas for m.aiden, alas for Judge, 

For rich repiner and household drudge 

God pity them both ! and pity us all, 
Who vainly the dreams of youth recall. 



[31 91 



Maud MiilUr. 

For of all sad words of tong^ue or pen, 

The saddest are these : " It might have been ! 

Ah, well ! for us all some sweet hope lies 
Deeply buried from human eyes ; 

And, in the hereafter, angels may 
Roll the stone from its grave away ! 











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